Spectral EQing question

[DanLights]

So for a signal chain of an individual instrument I've read that the normal way to go is FixEQ >> Compression >> TweakEQ >> Delay/Reverb

Now is this that is called "FixEQ" the same thing as "spectralEQ"? as in cutting/boosting certain frequency bands to give the individual instrument his position in the audio spectrum of the mix? If not, when should spectral EQing be applied in relation to other effects in the signal chain such as comp/limiting and delay/reverb/chorus?

I mean as in standard way to go, the first one who simply posts "depends on the mix" and says nothing more should be slapped in the face for being a useless shit. If the answer to everything was "there's no rules do what you want" there wouldn't be a friggin production tips forum

 

[ahjteam]

fix eq = remove all the bad sounding stuff
tweak eq = add good sounding stuff if needed


I have no idea what spectral eq is.

 

[DanLights]

I have no idea what spectral eq is.

from what I've read it is positioning the track in the range of frequencies it should be so it's unnecesary (undesired) harmonics won't mess with the fundamental and desired harmonics of other instruments/tracks, most commonly done with high/low pass filters or simple Eq cutting. that's probably not the real name, must have messed it up

your definition of fixeq and tweakeq really helpful, a lot more simple and clear than what I (hardly) understood of those terms

 

[joeymusicguy]

you'll want spectral eq'ing after everything in the chain but before reverb and delay

why? because reverb and delay both deal with decay in different forms... and lets say spectral eq'ing on the track really clears up whats going on with the tone of the instrument, you wouldnt wan't the old tone / old eq echoing out (or decaying) into your eq, so you take care of that before it hits the verb or delay making the effect even clearer.

 

[ahjteam]

well it ain't rocket science, but you can explain it so that it sounds like it. I, on the other hand, like to keep it simple

 

[DanLights]

you'll want spectral eq'ing after everything in the chain but before reverb and delay

why? because reverb and delay both deal with decay in different forms... and lets say spectral eq'ing on the track really clears up whats going on with the tone of the instrument, you wouldnt wan't the old tone / old eq echoing out (or decaying) into your eq, so you take care of that before it hits the verb or delay making the effect even clearer.

makes total sense, thanks man, exactly the answer I was looking for